WCED Blog

The Popularity of Pro Sports in Wake County

Right now it’s hockey season with the Carolina Hurricanes in Raleigh. In March, the Carolina Railhawks in Cary will take to the field as one of 11 teams across America, Canada and the Bahamas competing in USL-1 soccer. The following month, starting April 3, it will be time to watch the Carolina Mudcatsswing at their first exhibition home game in Zebulon with hope for a great season.

For pro fans of nearly every stripe, there are plenty of options in Wake County to keep you entertained (or maybe even participate, if you’re athletic enough). And they are making their mark in Wake County despite the entrenched presence of college sports that have dominated the scene for decades.

For example, when the Hurricanes moved its franchise from Hartford, Connecticut to Raleigh in 1997, casual observers scoffed it would be a folly. “No one from the South watches hockey!” they said. But over time, the team’s dedication and the fans’ growing interest in what was the first major league professional sports team in the county made it into a phenomenon so big that even Sports Illustrated wrote an article about its appeal. It paid off in 2006 when the Hurricanes became the first major pro league sports franchise in North Carolina to win a title, in this case the Stanley Cup.

The Hurricanes, Railhawks and Mudcats host literally thousands of people every game, and they provide family-friendly activities to those who attend as well. The games are reasonably priced and offer families an exciting afternoon or evening of activity. Who can beat that?

Pro sports – another reason why Wake County is attracting more businesses and their employees to relocate here.